The global access map

‘Until we understand a problem we can’t solve it’

In Montreal 2013 we brought together a group of over 25 experts from 15 different countries to examine the issues faced where measuring access to and success in post-secondary education are concerned across the world. The differences between countries in terms of the availability of data regarding access and success are huge and these differences are refracted through hugely contrasting political contexts to produce a complex picture largely undrawn.

GAPS will build a more comprehensive picture of this challenge that can enable all countries to establish the knowledge that can then act as the basis for advocacy on access issues to senior leaders and policymakers.

GAPS will draw the global access map and identify how and where the gaps in participation and success in post-secondary participation exist.

Up to 2017 our aim is to produce two major reports that will have global resonance in this area. We will focus on:

Drawing the global access to post-secondary education map

The most important inequalities in access to and success in post-secondary education are defined differently in each country. While data is collected internationally that looks at access by particular measures e.g. socio-economic background the nuances of inequality that really matter in each individual country are less visible. We will aim to build a global map that illustrates the nature of this inequality across nations and how it is measured.

Constructing the GAPS Index

While the nature of access and success differs across countries so does how it is measured. The framework would collate different approaches to measure progress in access to post-secondary education. The purpose of the framework would be the assist those tasked with measuring access and success, by enabling them to look at how other countries and institutions do this.